Funky Kong

Funky Kong in DK: King of Swing.
Funky Kong
Species	Kong
Eye color	Unknown
Voiced by	Toshihide Tsuchiya (2008)
Debut	Donkey Kong Country

Funky Kong was a good friend of Donkey Kong, originally depicted to resemble a surfer. He was more laidback than the adventurous Kongs and usually sat out on adventures. In most games he acts as a travel agent and/or mechanic for the Kongs, but on other occasions he ran fishing minigames or sold weapons.

Background

Funky Kong first appeared in Donkey Kong Country and Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (as well as Donkey Kong Land 2), where he ran Barrelplane flight services throughout Donkey Kong Island and Crocodile Island, and in the latter game he charged Banana Coins for his services. The GBA remakes changed his roles, due to new gameplay features making the Barrelplane feature redundant. In the Donkey Kong Country remake, he hosted fishing minigames on his hut, while in Donkey Kong Country 2, he sent Diddy and Dixie on missions in his Gyrocopter.

In Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble he ran a vehicle rentals shop. At first the only available vehicle was a motorboat, but Funky unveiled new vehicles as Dixie and Kiddy progressed through the game and brought him new items. By the end of the game Funky had repaired his Hovercraft, constructed a Turbo-Ski and brought out the Gyrocopter for the Kongs' adventuring needs. Once again Funky also assigned Dixie and Kiddy on a series of missions to complete with the vehicles in the GBA version, after which he rewarded them with a Banana Bird.

Funky Kong later opened his own armory in Donkey Kong 64. There he sold fruit guns to the Kongs and upgrades for each weapon. In the ending, Funky also sent K. Rool flying with a boot-gun.

Funky returned in Donkey Konga 3. Funky was later playable in the Jungle Jam mode of DK: King of Swing and the multiplayer mode of DK: Jungle Climber (with Dixie Kong as his partner). He also returned in his roots in Jungle Climber by running a Funky's Flights to take the Kongs across the various islands, but he needed to be given Oil Barrels to power his Barrel Plane. In Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze, Funky runs the game's shop, know as Funky's Fly 'n' Buy.

Funky was also an unlockable playable racer in Donkey Kong Barrel Blast with his Kremling rival being Kudge. He has also made his first Mario sports appearance as an unlockable playable racer in Mario Kart Wii (unlocked by unlocking 4 Expert Staff Ghost Data in Time Trials) and is also unlockable in Mario Super Sluggers. Within the Challenge Mode of Mario Super Sluggers he is found in the DK Jungle being accosted by a paranoid Fire Bro who thought he was trying to assemble the stone idol, but Funky was actually searching for treasure. After the Fire Bro was defeated, Funky decided to join the team to help them in their own search. He also acted as the area's shopkeeper

Trivia

• Funky is sometimes believed to be the father of Chunky and Kiddy, but this has not been proven.
• Funky appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as well as in Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 3DS/Wii U. The Wii U game also has a trophy showcasing Funky with the Offroader kart from Mario Kart. Addtionally in those latter games, Candy Kong's trophy description states that Funky has a crush on her.
• He is absent in Donkey Kong Country Returns, but he is jokingly alluded to when Cranky Kong denies knowing anyone with an airplane and noting how convenient that would be.